Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study

Using high-performance computing capabilities and innovative visualization tools,
NREL shows the power grid of the Eastern United States—one of the largest power systems
in the world—can accommodate upwards of 30% wind and solar/photovoltaic (PV) power.

The U.S. Department of Energy commissioned NREL to perform the Eastern Renewable Generation
Integration Study (ERGIS), a scenario-based study of four potential wind and PV futures
and associated operational impacts in the Eastern Interconnection.

Advanced Modeling

Advanced modeling and computing techniques—enabled by the high-performance computing
center in NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility—allowed the project team to discard several simplifying assumptions about power system
operations and increase the resolution of the analysis in several key ways. The ERGIS
project:

Expands the range of resources analyzed by simulating large-scale adoption of PV in
addition to wind in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection

Increases the temporal resolution to 5 minutes, the same real-time interval used by
grid operators for scheduling resources

Increases the spatial resolution of the model to include all synchronous components
of the Eastern Interconnection and Quebec Interconnection on a comparable basis.

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What We Learned

The operation of traditional power sources (such as coal, natural gas, and hydro)
changes—turning up or down more quickly to accommodate seasonal and daily variations of wind
and PV. In addition, traditional generators would likely operate for shorter periods
of time as wind and solar resources meet more of the demand for electricity.

Flows of power across the Eastern Interconnection change more rapidly and more frequently. Meeting 30% targets under the study assumptions sometimes requires coordinating operations
from Montreal to Miami and as far west as New Mexico.

Regulatory policy changes, market design innovation, and flexible operating procedures
are critical to achieving technical potential. ERGIS shows that the power system can meet loads with variable resources like wind
and PV in a variety of extreme conditions. However, achieving the technically feasible
depends on incentives for transmission and generation operators to provide the necessary
ramping, energy, and capacity services.

Additional Resources

These resources give power system planners, operators, regulators, and others the
tools to anticipate and plan for operational changes that may be needed in cleaner
energy futures.